North Korea holds ‘largest-ever scale drills’

Categories

North Korea says it carried out what it calls the largest-ever artillery drills to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the foundation of the country's army.

The Korean Workers’ party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on Wednesday that the country’s army, navy and air force held joint drills on the previous day in the country’s east and that leader Kim Jong Un attended.

The state-run media said more than 300 large-caliber artillery pieces lined up along the coast and fired shells simultaneously. Submarines fired torpedoes and aircraft conducted airstrikes.

Afterward, Kim Jong Un reportedly said the drills demonstrated well the country’s military power that can respond to its enemies with merciless punishment.

Earlier on Tuesday, South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North conducted large-scale artillery drills near the country’ east coast city of Wonsan.

The North’s drills on a military anniversary day came as USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group cruises toward the Korean Peninsula, and the US and South Korean militaries continue their joint drills.